Time: 12:30
Registry and Chambers:
Magdalena Spalińska, Spokesperson for Registry and Chambers, made the following statement:
Good afternoon,
Last Monday, the President issued a decision granting Johan Tarčulovski early release from a prison in Germany where he has been serving his 12-year sentence. Whilst the President found that the high gravity of the crimes for which he was convicted weighed against his early release, the President granted him early release on the basis that he has already served more than two-thirds of his sentence and that he has demonstrated good behaviour in detention. The President found that he has shown evidence of rehabilitation to the extent that he would not pose a threat to public security and to the reconciliation process among the ethnic groups in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM).
Tarčulovski, a former police officer of FYROM, was transferred to Germany on 7 July 2011 to serve the remainder of his sentence for crimes committed against ethnic Albanians during the conflict in FYROM in 2001.
Moving to the courtroom schedule:
The Trial Chamber sitting on the contempt case of Radislav Krstić will announce in due course the date of the trial. At his initial appearance last Thursday, Krstić pleaded not guilty to the charges of contempt which the Chamber brought against him. Krstić is accused of failing to comply with, or to show good cause why he could not comply with, a subpoena in which he was ordered to testify in the case of Radovan Karadžić.
The trial of Ratko Mladić resumed this morning with the Accused present in the courtroom. Protected witness RM-346, a survivor of a mass execution after the take-over of the Srebrenica enclave in 1995, is currently being cross-examined by the Defence. This is the 81st witness to be called by the Prosecution.
In the case of Goran Hadžić, an expert witness Višnja Bilić is currently testifying about the missing persons and detainees during the war in Croatia. She is the 37th witness to be called by the Prosecution.
In the case of Radovan Karadžić, the Trial Chamber is currently hearing the testimony of Dušan Kozić, former prime minister of Republika Srpska. He is the 127th witness to be called so far by the Defence.
The appeals hearing in relation to the Prosecution’s appeal against the Trial Chamber’s decision to acquit Karadžić of Count 1 of the indictment, will be held on Wednesday, 17 April from 9:00 to 12:30 in Courtroom III.
Office of the Prosecutor:
Aleksandar Kontić, member of the Prosecutor’s Immediate Office, made the following statement:
In preparation for the next Security Council report the Prosecutor Serge Brammertz will visit Bosnia and Herzegovina next week. Between 15 and 17 April 2013, the Prosecutor will meet with members of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, representatives of the BiH State Prosecutor’s Office and the representatives of the victim’s organizations. In addition to those meetings the Prosecutor will meet with the representatives of the international community.
Questions:
Asked whether Ratko Mladić might face contempt charges following his removal from the courtroom this morning, Magdalena Spalińska explained that the Presiding Judge removed the Accused from the courtroom for the duration of the testimony of the current witness. Spalińska said that she could not speculate on whether contempt charges would be brought against the Accused, adding that he is expected to return to the courtroom once the next witness starts testifying.
Asked to confirm what Mladić’s exact words were in court this morning when addressing the witness, Spalińska said that he used inappropriate language.
Asked whether Mladić was examined this morning, Spalińska said she could not confirm or deny this. Mladić was back in the courtroom after being absent yesterday due to health reasons but he was well enough to return to the courtroom this morning.
Asked whether he had been taken back to the Detention Unit after being removed from the courtroom this morning, Spalińska explained that the Presiding Judge announced that it was expected that the current witness would conclude his testimony later today and therefore probably there was no need to send the Accused back to the Detention Unit because he will most likely be able to return to the courtroom once the next witness starts.